NANA is a romantic drama penned by shoujo genius Yazawa Ai. And before all the dudes reading this completely disregard it, let me just say that my ex-boyfriend would sneak my Japanese copies of NANA into the bathroom and read them. If I asked him what he was doing, he would say he was reading JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure (LIES!). In other words, NANA is a story that everyone can get hooked on. The manga is essentially a chronicle – 21 volumes, over 70 chapters – and still unresolved; it was put on hiatus after Yazawa Ai fell ill in 2009. While it possesses all the characteristics of Japanese drama (never ending conflicts, petty rivalries, love triangles, fairly unrealistic scenarios), Yazawa has treated the characters and storyline as realistically as possible. While addressing complicated issues like sex (which is depicted in the manga!) and pregnancy, Yazawa captures the most heartbreaking aspects of interpersonal relationships. The original manga has been adapted into an anime series and two live action films.

At its core, NANA is a story about two very different girls with the same name. Oosaki Nana is a serious punk rocker and Komatsu Nana is a girly girl with a penchant for making horrendous romantic decisions. After coincidentally meeting on a train for Tokyo, the two girls end up renting an apartment together in the city. Komatsu Nana also befriends the members of Oosaki Nana’s band Black Stones and the rival rock group Trapnest. The two girls are essentially polar opposites; Komatsu has a fairly weak personality and just tags along with the people around her. She moved to Tokyo to be with her boyfriend, only to discover that he had been cheating on her. On the other hand, Oosaki is independent and strong-willed; her dream is to succeed as the lead singer of Black Stones and gave up on her relationship to pursue it. The first live action movie concentrates on Black Stones’ rise to fame and Oosaki Nana’s reunion with former lover Ren, now the guitarist for Trapnest. It also shows the beginning of Komatsu Nana’s relationship with Trapnest bassist Takumi.

The first live action movie generated a lot of buzz in Japan and was given the large budget necessary to do the story justice. A key component of the manga is music; it is about two bands after all. Unlike the unfortunate live action adaptation of Paradise Kiss (which ignored the fashion element of the story), the NANA film maintains this emphasis on music. Oosaki Nana is played by Nakashima Mika, a singer who rose to popularity with her jazz/R&B sound. In truth, this was a rather ingenious casting decision; while Nakashima as an artist has nothing in common with punk rock, she completely transforms into her character for the film. The film used the single ‘Glamorous Sky,’ sung by Nakashima and written by J-rock legend Hyde (L’Arc-en-Ciel) heavily in its promotion and also featured songs from singer Ito Yuna (who was cast as the lead singer of rival band Trapnest). More importantly, the film actually managed to visual reproduce Yazawa Ai’s unique character designs with their casting decisions and considerable effort was put into accurately styling the actors (another lesson that Paradise Kiss failed to learn). While Nakashima Mika could stand to eat a sandwich, her rail thin figure is strikingly similar to the manga. While she portrays Oosaki a bit gentler than the original character, her acting is solid. Matsuda Ryuuhei (Gohatto) also delivers a fine performance as Oosaki’s lover Ren. Miyazaki Aoi (Virgin Snow), an actress known for her pure image, was cast as the hapless Komatsu. Personally, I find Komatsu a bit irritating, but Miyazaki Aoi has the cute Japanese girl role down to a science.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RLfJoqLmH8

While the NANA Live Action movie gets the casting and the music right, it is hurt by the script. In truth, NANA is a very long story and would probably work best as a live action TV series. Obviously, it would be impossible to affordably produce a TV series with the same production value and actors…but the film seems rushed. The audience really doesn’t have much of an opportunity to relate to the characters and, without reading the manga, it’s impossible to care about what happens to them in the film. It’s fairly impossible for a movie to recover from a lackluster script and NANA ultimately ends up being a 113 minutes of beautiful people wearing cool clothes and making music. Of course, this can be very entertaining but I would definitely recommend the manga or TV series over the film.

On his wedding anniversary, Han Chul-Min drives into his apartment complex parking lot and sees a large crowd gathered by the entryway into the apartment. Chul-Min enters his apartment holding a bouquet of flowers for his wife when he sees police officers scattered about collecting evidence. Chul-Min walks into his bedroom and sees a large pool of blood on the bed. The blood is fresh enough that it is still dripping onto the floor. A police officer handcuffs Chul-Min and takes him to the police station. Jang Ho-Won, a broker for attorneys, brings the case of Han Chul-Min to attorney Kang Sung-Hee. He informs the attorney that the alleged murder victim’s body was never discovered, the police have yet to find any direct evidence connecting Chul-Min to the murder of his wife and his arrest is all based on circumstantial evidence. Kang Sun-Hee takes the case and applies in court for a jury trial. Is Han Chul-Min a cold-blooded killer or the victim of a cover-up?

Director Sohn Young-Sung’s The Client offers a gripping courtroom drama through its exercise of effective acting, but is it enough to save it from stumbling in its own execution? Those accustomed to such dramas know that one of the essential elements in producing an effective whodunit tale is the ability and strength of its cast—a key facet in a sub-genre that takes place primarily within the conversational chambers of a courtroom. Such dramas are almost entirely centered on individuals conversing, but it’s through conversing where a film can find itself balancing between being atrociously boring or absolutely engrossing to view. Luckily, The Client makes considerable headway towards the latter, wherein the likes of actors Ha Jung-Woo and Park Hee-Soon create the necessary intensity as defending attorney and prosecutor respectively. From the charged courtroom confrontations, to the investigatory work culminating up to such encounters, the film effectively weaves a narrative where the details of the case gradually unfold in a matter that will keep viewers guessing as well as surprise them—even it does seem like we’ve seen these premise all before.

And it’s this sense of familiarity where the film becomes somewhat obstructed, refocusing its attention outside of the realm of the courtroom. Where the intense framework offered through Young-Sung’s direction is highly realized within the courtroom proceedings, outside of it is where The Client easily falls into a cliché-riddled narrative as the film steadily wraps up. With a whodunit premise tightly displayed throughout the first half of the film—where Ha Jung-Woo and Park Hee-Soon’s characters are attempting to out maneuver one another within the court—once the film finally unveils the true killer and their motive, the narrative soon relies on simple tropes that are easily viewed within television dramas for resolve—a choice that was rather unnecessary considering the film’s strong first half. The legal proceedings are where The Client truly shines, so when the films awkwardly can’t decide to follow that path or become the Korean equivalent of a hackneyed CSI episode, one begins to wonder why such an approach was warranted. One can understand the needs of conventionality within a rather detailed-heavy drama such as this—it’s an approach mainly utilized to untangle and simplify a rather convoluted plot for some viewers—but here it just seems too easy, like Young-Sung just wanted to offer a quick conclusion towards the complex scenario he establishes earlier throughout the film.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srqI_aubX7M

As such, The Client is one film that still works well because of its strong casting appeal and courtroom affairs. Director Sohn Young-Sung nicely handles these two elements, but if more attention were paid towards developing a unique twist on its tired premise, it would have fared much better. Having the film stay within the confinement of the court and not relying on conventional means to conclude its story would’ve made The Client one of the better Korean films dealing with the intricacies of an unsolved murder case, but sadly it decides to play it safe for the sake of resolving itself in an uncomplicated fashion. This undemanding lead up towards the film’s conclusion may appeal to some viewers, but ultimately it hinders the film rather than support it. Overall though, The Client still remains a very solid and intriguing courtroom drama—despite its noticeable flaws when it decides to exit that courtroom.

“You were born for vengeance…such a poor child.”

Toshiya Fujita’s film of revenge and expressionism has been heavily influential not only with modern jidai-geki films but with modern films in general. The hallucinatory structure of the tale is told in chapters, with flashbacks and lapses in time. Typically, this kind of presentation is purely cosmetic, but here it is strangely fitting.

Yuki is a deadly swordswoman whose life, it seems, was predestined for retribution. Her father and brother were murdered by a band of criminals (Banzo, Gishiro, Okono, and Tokuichi) before she was born and her mother (Sayo) imprisoned for murdering her abductor, Tokuichi. She devises a plan to have a son who can wreak vengeance on the remaining three criminals. Sayo is impregnated by one of the guards and gives birth to Yuki but dies shortly after. This is where the film begins and so the audience follows Yuki’s path of vengeance (accompanied by a trail of blood of course). From a child she is trained by the priest, Dokai, to be emotionless. She begins her journey on her twentieth birthday and renames herself Shurayuki. The film takes place during the Meji era when westernization was a young but feral beast. This tumultuous time period is significant to the story. Because of the governmental sanction, “men in white” were sent to enforce the conscription of individuals into the service of the emperor. People grew to fear these men in white and would pay criminals to murder them. Indeed, Shurayuki’s father (a schoolteacher) was innocently wearing white when he was murdered. “It could be said that Karma can stain the unborn,” Shurayuki tells a man she needs information from. In order to enact retribution, she must indulge the whims of her informants. For instance, to find Banzo, she kills a crime boss for Lord Matsuemon.

There is also another interesting character, a reported named Ryurei Ashio. He meets her for the first time by means of his curiosity and an unspecified feeling that there is something unusual about the mysterious woman in white. He questions her incessantly and later prints her story as a fictional adventure tale. This lures Okono from her hiding place later in the film. Ashio continues to play an integral part in the story, but even he is unable to flee the broad sweep of vengeance. And this is the central theme of the film: violence begets violence and vengeance only creates more victims. The side story of Ashio and Banzo’s daughter, Kobue, are prime examples of this. The ending of the film is wonderfully symbolic and subversive, taking place in a European-styled masquerade ball.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lIslRWbj8s

Fujita decides to remain neutral in his depiction of Shurayuki. While her motives are pure, her actions are little different than the criminals she’s killing. The way the story is told, episodic piece by episodic piece, incorporates a great layering technique that maintains the interest of the audience. The cinematography, art direction, editing and direction are flawless. Kanji as Shurayuki delivers an effortless performance, capturing the “child of the netherworld” perfectly. This is a film that paints in expansive, Grunewaldian strokes of emotional distortion, but majesty is often accompanied hand-in-hand with destruction. The film presents an interesting slant on the Karmic cycle, particularly on how women are continual victims of misfortune. Shurayuki herself cannot escape it and this is the tragic reality of those who seek vengeance.

Flying Swords of Dragon Gate is a 2011 wuxia film directed by Tsui Hark and starring Jet Li, but don’t get too excited, as Jet Li is practically absent during an entire half-hour period. The film is a remake of Dragon Gate Inn (1966) and fails to capitalise on its key asset (i.e. Jet Li). With that said, Flying Swords of Dragon Gate is definitely one of the best movie from China in terms of 3D special effects. This is actually the first China 3D movie with IMAX 3D recognition.

The bad guys are the eunuchs of the Imperial Court, who have created their own unaccountable secret police, armed with bizarre weapons and utterly ruthless in their quest for power and wealth. The good guys are led by a former general, stripped of his rank by the eunuchs, who set out to shield the innocent, right some wrongs and restore decency to the Imperial Court. And the ugly guys are a gang of cut-throat bandits who have caught scent of a hoard of hidden treasure. Their conflicts come to a head at Dragon Inn, a remote outpost in the desert at the very frontier of the kingdom. But nearby stands Dragon Gate, portal to a lost world under the sands and a vast sandstorm is bearing down on the region. The final battle to the death is fought out amid the traps and feints of a great lost city, and in the whirlwind which turns the desert into a maelstrom of choking sand. It is what you call a unique movie experience that brings in the world of Wuxia to the maximum effect.

Though lacking behind likes of “Avatar” in technical CG wizardry, the film more than compensated by an entertaining amalgation of kungfu action with 3D CGI, making room for character building and more engaging storyline. So the million dollar question…was this film a home run in 3-D? I believe so, and I think it actually added to the overall experience providing the audience is engaged. Rest assured, if you are looking for your monthly kick of Chinese action films, this will not disappoint because there is so much action packed into two hours that you will either come out of the theater happily dazed, or with a migraine that should clear within a few hours. The color grading is stupendous and the 3D treatment takes you through the realm of your aesthetic mind and is pure enjoyment to boot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKqTXxqxekA

However, if there is one big flaw in the film, it is the lack of chemistry between Li and Zhou. Jet Li has been churning out a lot of films lately and I can’t help but to think he is just becoming tired. Or perhaps he just had too much competition on screen with Zhou Xun glowing as the deadly and nimble swordswoman, and Taiwanese actress Kwai Lun Mei stealing the show as the tribal leader of the treasure hunters. Either way, Tsui Hark continues to impress and this film is a deserving picture of how hard work, meticulous planning, perseverance and a clear vision can pay off. Shooting a Martial Arts feature flick on 3D is a colossal task. Gimmicks aside, I recognize this talent and I walked away entertained. Jet Li is hellbent on making 2012 his year, and with this film out the gate, there doesn’t seem to be any limp in his stride.

Mainichi Kaasan (also called Kaasan, Mom’s Life) is a family movie based the life of Rieko Saibara (Kyoko Koizumi) who is a mangaka and often has to take care of her two children by herself. Her manga and anime shows are funny in a light-hearted way, but somehow carries a sad nostalgia to them. That could be attributed to her husband, Yutaka Kamoshida (Masatoshi Nagase), who was a war-time photographer. His job takes him all over the world and is often away from home. He’s now trying to be a writer, but his love for booze often leads him to the hospital rather than to his work or family. The movie focuses on Reiko’s family life, and her complicated love for a man who she loves but yet hates at the same time. This is a complex family film that might appears casual and mundane, but quietly presents itself as one with a much darker veil.

Saibara is a strong willed woman who, with the help of her mother, takes care of the children and her husband quite well. With all the problems of motherhood and the constant pressure of meeting her manga deadlines, life is a always a big hectic. A large part of the movie present Saibara’s struggle with being a mother and a mangaka. Unfortunately, she works from home so there is no escape from both roles even if she wants to. However, she takes on every new challenge with gusto and (usually) complete the job in one piece. This part of the movie closely resembles what a typical Mainichi Kaasan episode or chapter is like. Midway through the movie, the wall finally comes down and viewers get to see the real life behind the edited story.

The truth is, Saibara’s husband is an alcoholic and for the longest time she tries to cover up the fact to herself, to her children, and to her readers. She has always depicted the father in her story in a positive light albeit he may appears a little strange. Constantly popping up and then quickly disappearing from their lives, the husband’s struggle with his drinking problem is actually the better part of the movie and the most comedic at times. As a photographer who records the images of war, Kamoshida has seen some very graphic images that continues to trouble him. When his memories of war merge with those of his family, he realized he has to take control of the situation even if the walls are crumbling around him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQ2zzB3aNxM

The movie portrays Saibara’s ongoing crazy life and only glimpses of her husband’s inner demons. This, in turn, mimics the problem between the couple. Treated for alcoholism, Kamoshida’s problem actually appears to be more complicated and more similar to depression. Though the movie only touches lightly on the subject, depression and other mental illnesses are greatly overlooked in Japan and most people do not seek treatment for fear of being look down upon. Kamoshida hides the fact that he sees strange visions from his wife. She then simply thinks he must be drinking too much again and is seeing things. While the movie has some good points to tell about the issues faced by a modern Japanese family, the director never truly decides if the movie is a good-nature family movie, or a darker version of that. Funny moments with the kids are then followed by black and white scenes of war-torn countryside. The effect is jarring and disruptive. Overall, not a bad film but could be better.

The Viral Factor is a 2012 Hong Kong action film and another notch on director Dante Lam’s belt and stars The Green Hornet’s Jay Chou. On a mission to protect a scientist who has stolen a copy of the smallpox virus, Sean (Andy On) betrays his team of police officers in order to get the virus so he can mutate it into a biological weapon, develop a vaccine and sell it to a corrupt pharmaceutical company. The failed mission leaves Wan Fei (Jay Chou) injured and his girlfriend (Bai Bing) dead. With two weeks to live, he decides to spend his remaining days with his mother (Elaine Jin) who tells him that he has a long lost brother, Wan Yang (Nicholas Tse) whom she left behind with his father Wan Fei decides to track Wan Yang down in Malaysia but upon arrival, he discovers that Wan Yang has become a wanted felon and is part of the plot orchestrated by Sean.

Pretty much two-thirds of the movie is set in and around the streets of Kuala Lumpur, and is crafted as an electrifying action thriller with nerve-racking tension. The plot can ultimately be as cliché as plenty other action thrillers you have seen before but fortunately, the movie still projects a moving story that discusses about the rivalry and the family-bond of the estranged brothers. But, do not fret, there is action to be had! Fiery blasts from genuine military weaponry and army tanks in Jordan and in Kuala Lumpur you will be amazed by vehicles hurtling down from roof tops, cars crashing into monsoon drains and busy shopping centers.

Like I said, every scene has something blowing up, or someone shooting someone else. In one scene, both Jay Chou and Nicolas Tse’s characters were having a nice brotherly chat when the police interrupts them. With guns flaring and blaring. It’s a messy but exciting movie. The leads Jay Chou & Nicholas Tse, have done a fantastic job and quite possibly have produced their best work yet. But although steeped in show-offy camera work and offbeat bursts of emotion — the roguishly effective Nicholas Tse, as the criminal sibling Chou’s character never knew he had, breaks down in tears not once but twice. Nicholas Tse in my book has grown to be in a different league compared to his “Dragon Tiger Gate” days and character.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abMk-z_RReQ

Although scaled to match the kind of adrenaline spectacles produced by Hollywood, Lam is clearly working a John Woo vibe here of operatically staged action laced with pumped-up personal stakes. Overall, this is one movie you do not want to miss if you are a fan of things blowing up. In general, the dynamic sound effects keep the viewer perpetually on edge although the story-line was a bit overwrought. The Viral Factor is one the Chinese action movies that deserves to be seen on the big screen.

White Vengeance tells the story of two brothers contending for supremacy during the fall of the Qin Dynasty, which ruled Imperial China from 221 to 206 BC. As rebels rose, the nation fell into chaos. Liu Bang (Leon Lai) and Xiang Yu (Feng Shaofeng), became leaders of the rebellious army, and also became sworn brothers in battle. The film is based on events in the Chu–Han Contention period of Chinese history. The film’s Chinese title is a reference to the Feast at Hong Gate, one of the highlights of that era.

The intelligence of Zhang Liang was the highlight of this movie where they continuously offered tactics advising their respective master Liu Bang and Xiang Yu. We need stories like these which remind us how China’s troubled past could have been so vicious and complicated. The dialogue has to be closely followed as this is one movie about two brilliant strategist and military advisors, who have to watch their own backs as well as the rivalry they face with one another. Therefore the skillful leader subdues the enemy’s troops without any fighting; he captures their cities without laying siege to them; he overthrows their kingdom without lengthy operations in the field. But of course this is not a history lesson, thus the highest form of generalship is to balk the enemy’s plans; the next best is to prevent the junction of the enemy’s forces.

Loved how the war scenes were shot from an aerial view showing the landscape as the cinematographer did a good job capturing the surroundings. However, like many swordplay films before, this one features the usual – elaborate and colorful costumes and production design, crisp cinematography, and an atmospheric music score to bring it home. The director’s 2010 effort, 14 Blades, should be a good implication of what to expect. Lee has proudly claimed this film as the best movie he’s made in his career. Despite taking a notable depart from the history it is based on, White Vengeance is pretty much on par with John Woo’s Red Cliff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzxCNJIn4T4

While both actors are good in their roles, Lai dominates the show with his subtle and effective performance, showing calm and reserve even at dangerous times. This film seems to hit all the right notes as mind games, military strategies and counter strategies involving armies, the fate of their generals and one power crazed emperor make this film as watchable as can be. Readers of Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War” may want to give this one a watch, here is a film which blends strategy with motive very effectively, to an extent where those traits are blurred. This film is one that will scoop up plenty of awards and go on to be one of the great films based on war.

Godzilla pretty much set the standard for Japanese monster movies as we all know. Essentially a Japanese remake of Hollywood’s 1953 classic ‘The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms’, ‘Gojira’ took the same formula and became so much more than simple giant-monster entertainment. Story-wise, its pretty similar to any irradiated monster movie of the 1950s. However, what all the other movies lack is the gripping images of destruction. Gojira is depicted as an evil force of nature – instead of wanting to see cities get crushed, we see Tokyo in Gojira’s wake. Unlike some sci-fi flicks, all the elements in this movie are throughly connected, leaving no room for loose ends and plot holes. Above all, this film is not just a “monster-on-the-loose” movie. It’s a true classic, one that stands out above many sci-fi movies in cinema history. It is also interesting to see the television pictures of the Japanese schoolgirls singing their hymn for peace in the face of Gojira’s violent annihilation of the city, which provides a moment of strong emotion.

For one thing, even looking on it now from 2012, it’s still got some things to marvel at technically. For the first time Japanese filmmakers used the kinds of storyboards used by Disney and his people for animated films to construct the main centerpiece of Godzilla’s attack of Tokyo. Another factor to be recognized is Ifukube’s wonderful music, which enhances the film’s emotional impact. What I can say about the series is just please, no more remakes after the disaster and tragedy of the Emmerich remake.

The one thing I didn’t like about Gojira was the lack of screen time Gojira actually got. I waited about 70 minutes to get a nice good glimpse of the beast for only a short period of time. The scenes inbetween however were still a visual treat as Criterion’s presentation of this classic Japanese film is leaps and bounds ahead of Classic Media’s presentation, because not only is the detail improved, but there are entire sequences where it literally feels as if a filter of some sort has been removed. However, the importance of this piece’s impact on Japanese culture is lost in the translation. It is quite interesting to view the original version of this movie. It allowed me to pick up on a lot of the cues that made the movie impactive.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSk-i1UFJWA

The frustration is very apparent of the people. In fact many of them give up in out running the monster and pray with their families as he kills them. The movie comes to an epic finale with the inevitable death of the island monster. All in all, an excellent film, subsequent Godzilla films are indeed rather comedic, but this original film is a dark, serious and unforgettable film. This Criterion Blu-ray set should finally debunk claims to the contrary and let Godzillaphiles come out of the closet and proudly proclaim themselves what they are. I am one; long live the roar!

One of the main powerhouses for shoujo (girls) manga in Japan is Yazawa Ai. Most famous for penning the on-going NANA series, Yazawa made her mark on Japanese pop culture by penning a slew of embarrassingly addictive romantic coming-of-age stories with strong emphases on fashion and alternative subcultures. Paradise Kiss is Yazawa’s second most successful series after NANA; the five volume manga has also been adapted into a successful anime series. The 2011 Paradise Kiss Live Action film (dir. Shinjo Takehiko) is undoubtedly the least-successful reincarnation of the story, with a disappointing cast of young idols failing miserably to breathe any vibrancy into Yazawa’s iconic, larger-than-life characters.

Hayasaka Yukari (Kitagawa Keiko) is an up-tight high school student who has spent most of her life studying and practicing for entrance exams to please her overbearing mother. Enrolled in one of the top high schools in Tokyo, Yukari is finding it increasingly difficult to keep up with her more intellectually gifted peers. On her way to cram school, Yukari runs into the young punk rocker Arashi, who attempts to recruit her as the model for his group’s final design project at the Yazagaku fashion school. After meeting the other members of the design group ‘Paradise Kiss’ – the adorable gothic-lolita Miwako and cross-dressing Isabella – Yukari wants nothing to do with the gang of slackers. On her way out the door,however, Yukari runs into the captivating Koizumi George (Mukai Osamu). Drawn to her height and bitchy appearance, George convinced Yukari to be their model. As she is drawn deeper into the world of modeling and fashion, Yukari begins to shape her own path in life and fall in love with George.

Yazawa’s storylines aren’t extraordinarily complex; young girls asserting their independence and following their dreams/the guys they love. What makes Yazawa’s stories great is how well she portrays her characters – they all have depth, they are all unique, and they are all highly loveable. In part due to Yazawa’s unique artistic style (all of her characters are tall and absolutely rail thin) and in part due to the limited acting abilities of the live action cast, none of the young actors in the movie were able to convincingly portray the characters of Paradise Kiss. Kitagawa Keiko is far too short and robotic for Yukari’s character (whose icy exterior is really just an attempt hide low self-esteem) and is extremely unbelievable as a model. Ironically, Kitagawa actually got her start as a model for Japanese Seventeen, but Yazawa Ai’s 2-dimensional illustrations of Yukari modeling are a thousand times more dynamic than Kitagawa’s blah modeling presence. Mukai Osamu is a rather atrocious casting decision for the charismatic George, whose character is supposed absolutely ooze sex appeal. Mukai just looks dumb in a hate. The other casting choices are equally unfortunate; the petite Miwako, played by Omasa Aya (another real lie model), towers over Yukari and Kaku Kento (as Arashi) makes the least believable punk rocker in the history of the universe.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_XHYHEUnVw

Finally, for a movie about fashion, the clothes in Paradise Kiss Live Action are altogether horrible and seem to be the unfortunate result of a regrettably low budget (the production probably spent all of their money sending the crew to New York City for the final scene). The entire movie seems thrown together, messy, and does a huge disservice to the beautiful artwork and story crafted by Yazawa Ai. Even the bittersweet and highly realistic ending of the manga is crudely altered to better fit into the teenaged image of ‘happy endings.’ Ultimately, Paradise Kiss Live Action is an unfortunate product of the most uncreative and dull side Japanese pop-culture and is just as vapid and meaningless as the factory-like studio system that produced it. If you love Yazawa Ai and Paradise Kiss, do yourself a favor and stick to the manga and anime series.

A Snake of June is a film I had always wanted to watch but the characterization for it always seemed rather unclear; I once found it in the Horror section, which is something I now deem improper and quite frankly impolite. Then I had the wonderful pleasure of watching it during a lecture and found it so enthralling that I decided to make it the subject of an essay, a condensed, frank version of which I now give as a gift to you (with all the boring stuff obliterated, obviously.) Basically, A Snake of June is a film about sex. I can pretty much end the review here knowing that you will now all be running to your local DVD store, but then it wouldn’t be a review and what else would I do? So let’s continue with some storyline.

Rinko is a young counsellor with the wonderful job of working at a suicide prevention hotline. Her husband Shigehiko, who could easily be mistaken for her father (in fact I thought it was her father at first) is a slightly over-weight, a lot bald, cleanliness-obsessed salary man who would rather scrub the kitchen sink than touch his wife. Thus she touches herself, something she hides from her husband and is deeply ashamed of, but hey, if nobody else is gonna do it…One day however, she receives a package from a former helpline caller whose life she saved. The package contains some very compromising photographs of her, wearing extremely suggestive clothing and acting out some surprising fantasies that she thought were private. And so naturally, the blackmail begins. The caller threatens that he will show these pictures to her husband unless she acts out her sexual fantasies in public, for him and his camera; something he claims is for her own good. Yeah, sure. The more humiliation Rinko suffers, the more she seems to become comfortable with herself, but at the risk of her husband discovering exactly what she’s been up to.

The film deals with the slightly awkward subject of sexual transgression, pushing social boundaries away from the norm and more towards pleasuring yourself in an alleyway with phallic looking vegetables. Then it goes a bit further still when giant black tentacle penises start choking people. Yes, that’s right, giant genitalia, but it’s not as if this is the first Japanese movie to feature metal penises so we can all just calm down and grow up. It is undoubtedly inspired by the Pink Film to some degree, and since the whole movie is covered in a blue tint, it is somewhat literally a Blue Movie too, but it never seems to wander off toward titilation. There is also an erotic ‘wetness’ to the film, June is of course the wet month in Japan and so Rinko is constantly soaked from the rain or dripping with sweat from her ‘activities’. Then there are the random shots of drains, naked skin and close ups of snails, a little bit ‘Eraserhead,’ but not as weird.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4a7WEMGUCw

If all of this makes you feel uncomfortable and freaks you out a little too much, then this is definitely the film for you! After all, A Snake of June argues for the loss of sexual identity and the empowerment of anybody who enjoys feeling awesome but is just too scared. It tells us to stop being such a prude, be liberal, get up and ask for what we want. It asks if you are fulfilling your urges to your full potential and then gives you a slap in the face if the answer is ‘no’. I recommend this film to anybody who is open and comfortable with their sexuality, but even moreso to those who aren’t.